Plate-fastening device



IE. H. HAMILTON. PLATE FASTENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1919.

350,223; Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

Eddie A TTORNE Y.

the drawings.

UNITED s'rar ais PATENT OFFICE}.

EDDIE HQHAMILTON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF coLuMEIn.

PLATE-EAs'rEnme DEVIcE.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDDIE H. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Plate-Fastening Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to infants high chairs, and has particular reference to the swinging trays therefor.

The primary object is to provide the tray with means whereby a dish arranged thereon may be easily, quickly and securely fastened thereto so that the infant occupying the chair cannot break or remove the dish.

A further object is to provide the tray of a high chair for infants with spring clasps designed to engage with the base of a dish for effectively sustaining the dish on the tray, but at the same time permitting the ready removal of the dish when desired.

A still further object of the invention is to produce spring clamping means for the tray'of aninfants high chair or the like, said means cooperating with eye members formed or secured to the lower sides of a dish for securing the dish on the tray.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a simple construction and operative arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of aninfants chair showing a plate fastened on the tray thereof in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View of the tray, the plate being removed.

Fig. 3 is a greatly enlarged sectional view through the tray, the fastening means and the plate or dish being in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view approximately on the line 44L of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating a modification.

Fig. 6 is a similar sectional View of a further modification, the plate or dish being in elevation.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the spring clamping member employed in the preferred embodiment of the improvement.

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the clamp employed in the construction illustrated in F i 5.

Fig. 9 is a similar view .of the clamp em- Speci fieation of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 17, 1920. Application filed November 17. 1919. Serial No. 338.755. 7

ployed in the construction illustrated in Fig. 6. r

lVhile my improvement is primarily de .signed for use on the tray of an infants high chair, it is to be understood that the same may be employed with equal efiiciency upon other devices where it is desirable that plates or dishes be clamped temporarily thereon. 1

' In the drawings the numeral 1 designates an infants chair and 2 the tray which has its side members or arms pivotally secured to the sides of the chair.

At suitable spaced diametrically opposed points on the tray 2 I arrange clamps. The

that'has one of its ends formed with an eye .4, and its other end formed with a rightangular extension 5. The extension 5 terminates in a goose-neck bill 6. The bill 6 is directed angularly from the central mem: her 5 of the clampsin a direction parallel to but opposite the base portion 3. tral member or arm 5 is passed through a suitable opening 7'in the tray 2, permitting the base 3 to rest against the under face of the tray, and a securing element, such as a bolt 8 passes through the eye 4 and through the tray. The nut for the bolt may be in the nature of a socket member, but it is to be understood that any desired securing means for the clamp may be employed. The hill 6 of each of the clamps is disposed over the top of the tray, and the bills of the re spective clamps are oppositely directed, as illustrated" in Fig. 2.

The plate or dish to be engaged by the clamps is indicated by the numeral 9. The plate or dish on its opposite sides and in a line with its bottom is provided with outstanding eyes 10. These eyes may be formed in the process of the manufacture of the plate or dish, or the said eyes may be adhesively secured to the plate. By referring to the elements 10 as eyes, it is to be understood that this term is broadly used, as the said elements may be opened so that the same are substantially hook shaped or the said elements may be merely in the nature of lugs,

By reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings it willbe noted that the base 3 of the clamps are disposed at an acute angle with respect to the central members '5 thereof so that The centhe bills may be grasped at their outer upturned ends 11 to draw the central member or arm member 5 upward through the opening 7 to permit of the bills 6 being readily received in the eyes 10 of the plate 9. When the bills are releasedthe spring base 3 will return to its initial position forcing the bill 6 downward of the tray into tight engagement with the eye 10. The construction of the bill, however, is such that manual contact therewith is not necessary, and in clamping the plate on the tray the operator arranges the said plate so that the eyes thereof will be brought opposite the up-turned ends 11 of the bills 6 and a slight turn is given the plate to bring the bills into the eyes. The plate may be easily, quickly 'and securely clamped on the tray so that danger of the breakage thereof by the infant lifting the same and allowing the plate to fall will be entirely overcome, while at the same time the plate may be readily removed by the nurse when desired. The bills 6 of the clamps occupy only a small space on the top of the tray, and if desired, and as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings and designated by the numeral 12, the top of the tray may be provided with depressions to receive the bills 6 when the clamping device is not in use.

In Figs. 5 and 8-the clamp 13 is of a slightly different construction from that above described. The clamp, however, is formed from a single piece of spring metal and is shaped to include a base 14, an angle arm 15 formed on one end of the base and a top portion-or bill 16 formed on the upper end of the arm. The bill is disposed inthe same direction as the base 1 1, being arranged over the said base. The arm 15 may be slightly curved and the base 14 is arranged at an upward'or at an acute angle with respect to the arm. The base, however, upon its outer end is formed with. a straight extension 17 that contacts with the straight under face of the tray 18. The arm 15 passes through an opening 19 in the tray 18 so that the bill 16 is arranged over the top of the tray 18. The arm 15 is centrally slotted as at 20, and the dish 21 has an opened eye member 22 at diametrically opposed points on the lower sides thereof, and these eyes are designed to be received in the slotted arm 15, the spring base 14 drawing the arm 15 downwardly to cause a tight engagement between the upper end wall of the slot and the hook-like eye 22.

In Figs. 6 and 9 the clamp 23 includes a base 24 that is similar to the base 1 1. On one end of the base is formed an angle arm 25 that asses through an opening 26 in the tray '2? Theupper end of the arm 25 has a laterally extendingbill 28 which is arranged over the top of the tray 27.

The bill 28 is designed to overlie a centrally opened eye 29 formed on the opposite sides of the base portion of a plate or dish 30. An angle foot portion 31 on the base 24: of the clamp 23 exerts a pressure on the under face of the tray 27, bringing the beak or bill 28 of the clamp in tight engagement with the outer surface of the eye 29.

It is thought that the above description, whentaken in connection with the drawings will fully set forth the construction, manner of operating and advantages of theimprovement.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. In a means for holding a plate that has its base portion provided with opposed outwardly projecting eyes on a support, comprising a clamp-constructed of spring marial toinclude an angle base which is attached to and'which exerts "a tension against the support, an army arising from one end of the base, an angle beak on the outer end of the arm, and said. beaks designedto be received in the slotted eyes of the plates.

. In testimony wh'ereof'I affix my signature. EDDIE H. HAMILTON. 

